Coin Collectors News

United States Mint Announces 2020 American Innovation™ $1 Coin Program Designs

Jul 2, 2020 | News, U.S. Mint

WASHINGTON – The United States Mint (Mint) today officially announced the designs for the 2020 American Innovation™ $1 Coin Program. The new designs will appear on the reverses (tails) of $1 coins honoring innovations and/or innovators from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina.

Mint Chief Engraver Joseph Menna created and sculpted the Maryland American Innovation $1 Coin design. Mint Artistic Infusion Program artists created the designs for the remaining 2020 American Innovation $1 Coins, which Mint Medallic Artists sculpted. Here’s what the public can expect to see:

American Innovation – Connecticut
Designer: Richard Masters
Sculptor-Engraver: Renata Gordon
The Connecticut $1 Coin recognizes the Gerber Variable Scale. The design depicts the scale being used to increase a geometric shape by 200 percent, a shape that resembles the state of Connecticut. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “GERBER VARIABLE SCALE,” and “CONNECTICUT.”

American Innovation – Massachusetts
Designer: Emily Damstra
Sculptor-Engraver: Eric David Custer
The Massachusetts $1 Coin recognizes the invention of the telephone. The design depicts the dial of an early rotary telephone. Inscriptions are “MASSACHUSETTS,” “TELE-PHONE,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

American Innovation – Maryland
Designer: Joseph Menna
Sculptor-Engraver: Joseph Menna
The Maryland $1 Coin pays homage to the Hubble Space Telescope. The design depicts the telescope orbiting the earth surrounded by a field of stars. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE,” and “MARYLAND.”

American Innovation – South Carolina
Designer: Justin Kunz
Sculptor-Engraver: Phebe Hemphill
The South Carolina $1 Coin recognizes educator and civil rights activist Septima Poinsette Clark. The design depicts Ms. Clark marching with three young African American students who carry books and an American flag, representing that education and literacy among oppressed people are necessary for empowerment and enjoyment of civil rights. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “SEPTIMA CLARK,” and “SOUTH CAROLINA.”

American Innovation $1 Coins feature a common obverse (heads) design depicting a dramatic representation of the Statue of Liberty and the required inscriptions “$1” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.”

On-sale dates for products containing the 2020 American Innovation $1 Coins will be published on the Mint’s Product Schedule here. When available, the Mint will accept orders at catalog.usmint.gov/. Information about shipping options is available at catalog.usmint.gov/customer-service/shipping.html.

The American Innovation $1 Coin Program is a multi-year series featuring distinctive reverse designs that pay homage to America’s ingenuity and celebrate the pioneering efforts of individuals or groups from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories.

PCGS Confirms New 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar Variety

Jul 2, 2020 | News

First major variety discovery of that
Early Half Dollar date in nearly a century

(June 30, 2020; Santa Ana, California) – Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) has confirmed a new die marriage for the 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar. The coin was struck with a previously unknown obverse die and is now recognized as the new Overton 133 variety.

It is the first new major die variety to be discovered on a 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar in more than 90 years, according to PCGS.

The recently discovered Overton variety 133 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar has been confirmed and certified by PCGS. (Images courtesy of Professional Coin Grading Service www.PCGS.com.)

“The new die marriage was discovered by an advanced Early and Capped Bust Half Dollar collector who wishes to remain anonymous at this time,” explains Colorado coin dealer W. David Perkins. He submitted the discovery coin to PCGS and will be offering the 1795 O-133 Flowing Hair Half Dollar for sale.

“This newly identified die marriage is significant as there has been only one other 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dollar die marriage discovered since the Haseltine Type Table Sale in 1881! And that new marriage, 1795 O-132, was discovered prior to the 1929 Beistle half dollar book being published,” explains Perkins.

The coin has been graded PCGS F15 Overton 133 and has the “Discovery Coin” designation on the label.

“The discovery of this variety, struck from a new and previously unknown die mated to a known and previously used reverse die, was previously sold as an unattributed piece, which highlights why having the experts at PCGS attribute your coins can be so important,” says PCGS President Brett Charville.

“We at PCGS love stories like this, and we are also proud to have had the opportunity to grade and certify this piece as a discovery coin. With the 1795 O-133 Flowing Hair Half Dollar properly attributed and graded in our holder, it will ensure maximum security, value, and liquidity for the next collector who owns this outstanding rarity,” states Charville.

About Professional Coin Grading Service    

Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) is the premier third-party coin and banknote grading company that was launched in 1986. Over nearly 35 years, PCGS has examined and certified some 43.9 million U.S. and world coins, medals, and tokens with a combined value of more than $38.8 billion. For more information about PCGS products and services, including how to submit your coins for authentication and grading, please visit www.PCGS.com or call PCGS Customer Service at (800) 447-8848.   

Experience a Virtual Reality Tour at the Money Museum

Jun 26, 2020 | ANA, Announcements

Discover the British Empire’s History Through Interactive Online Tour

Museum enthusiasts, history aficionados and coin collectors can explore the American Numismatic Association’s Money Museum exhibit, “Money of Empire: Elizabeth to Elizabeth,” in a new 360-degree virtual reality tour that can be viewed from a computer or a VR headset. Visitors can experience close-up images of many of the exhibit’s objects, allowing views from both sides of the pieces on display and details that are not visible in person.

“Money of Empire,” uses money and medals to illustrate the development of the British Empire from its beginnings under Elizabeth I (1558-1603) to the present day. The British Empire, more than any other, set the stage for the modern world in which we live. From small origins during the late 16th century, the Empire expanded to become the largest empire in history and the most powerful global economic and military power for over a century.

The Money Museum also is home to the Harry W. Bass Jr. Collection, one of the greatest U.S. gold coin collections ever assembled. The Bass holdings feature the only complete collection of $3 gold pieces, a complete collection of early U.S. gold coin types of all designs from 1795 to 1933 and more.

The evolution of money through time can be seen in the museum’s “History of Money” exhibit as well. Beginning in Mesopotamia and Egypt around 4,500 years ago, gold and silver began to be traded in the form of metal bars or bits of wire. Since then, money has been exchanged in the form of coins, paper money, tokens, emergency money and more.

Other virtual exhibits at the museum feature the 1943 and 1944 cents, the King of U.S. Coins, the “Nickel that Never Was,” and the first coinage of the United States Mint.

The American Numismatic Association is a congressionally chartered, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to encouraging the study and collection of coins and related items. The ANA helps its 28,000 members and the public discover and explore the world of money through its vast array of educational and outreach programs, as well as its museum, library, publications and conventions. For more information, call (719) 632-2646 or visit money.org.

PennyBoard Press Publishes New Entry in David W. Lange’s Acclaimed Series of Books on Coin Albums

Jun 23, 2020 | Announcements

Volume Three Features the Products of Whitman 1940-1978

[Florida] — After three years of research and writing, the third volume in David W. Lange’s series of books chronicling the publishers of coin albums and their product lines is set for an August 1 release. The book is titled Coin Collecting Albums, A Complete History & Catalog: Volume Three, Whitman Publishing Company Folders and Albums 1940-1978.

At 335 pages, it is the largest book in this series to date. There are more than 1500 photos, articles and vintage advertisements, most of them in full color. The book is printed on 100# glossy stock, with an illustrated hard cover and Smythe sewn case binding to last for generations. The book’s cover actually reproduces the image of a Whitman coin folder from the 1960s, and the cover text utilizes the very same fonts that are immediately recognizable to veteran coin collectors.

The book relates the history of Whitman Publishing Company from 1916 to the 1990s, when it underwent several changes of ownership to emerge as the still powerful force in the hobby that it is today. All of Whitman’s coin folders, albums and cards produced from 1940 through 1978 are given their own chapters, with complete histories and catalogs featuring every single title, edition and variety. These are identified with unique Lange Numbers for easy reference and trading between collectors. Every subtle detail is described and illustrated, revealing how truly complex these seemingly simple products really are.

Among the highlights of this new book are several prototype products from the author’s collections that hitherto have been unknown to the hobby. These include the very first Whitman Blue Folder from 1940, an artist’s mock-up featuring two different proposed designs, one on either side of its covers. Also fully described and illustrated is the prototype for Whitman’s immensely successful Bookshelf line of albums that so dominated this market from 1961 to the late 1970s. The Bookshelf’s projected successor is also revealed for the first time, a failed experiment from the mid 1970s that was abandoned in favor of Whitman’s present Classic line of albums.

Sections are devoted to the many printing and binding errors the author has collected over several decades, and these are attractively illustrated. Sidebar stories are devoted to the many custom printed folders and albums that Whitman has produced for various coin and medal programs going back as far as 1954.

Finally, an extensive selection of Whitman coin collecting accessories is described and illustrated. These include numerous coin check lists, decal sheets, tubes, storage boxes, coin collecting kits and the very rare “Coin Store” board game from 1962. All of these are displayed in multiple, full color photos that recall the coin hobby during its heyday of the 1960s.

David W. Lange has been collecting coin hobby products and memorabilia for 40 years, and he is the premiere expert in that field. In 2007 Lange launched his series of books relating the history and product lines of various coin supply publishers with his book on vintage coin boards of the 1930s and 1940s. For this project he established his own publishing imprint, PennyBoard Press,™ and he thereafter produced a series of books detailing all the publishers of coin folders and albums. Volume One covered the National Coin Album and associated products, while Volume Two was dedicated to albums of the Coin & Currency Institute, specifically Library of Coins and Treasury of Coins. This new volume on Whitman’s several product lines is just the latest entry in what is projected to be at least half a dozen titles before the series is complete.

The publication price of Volume Three is $75, but until August 1 Lange is offering a pre-publication sale price of just $65, plus $7 shipping. The book is expected to be ready for delivery at that time.

Books may be purchased by check made out to David W. Lange or via PayPal to davidwlange@outlook.com. His mailing address is POB 110022, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211. The PennyBoard Press™ website is coincollectingboards.com, and it features extensive information about and photos of vintage coin boards.

2020 World’s Fair of Money Suspended

Jun 17, 2020 | ANA, Announcements, Shows & Conventions

ANA Board of Governors to Consider Alternate Options

The American Numismatic Association (ANA) announced today the suspension of the 2020 World’s Fair of Money®. The show, originally scheduled for August 4-8 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the largest annual coin and paper-currency event in the United States.

The ANA Board of Governors has been deliberating the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the show and whether aggressive mitigation requirements to ensure the safety of attendees made continuing with the Pittsburgh event feasible. Current State of Pennsylvania guidelines restrict indoor gatherings to a maximum of 250 people at any one time. The World’s Fair of Money typically attracts upward of 10,000 people during its 5-day smorgasbord of educational offerings, live auctions, affiliated club meetings, and a bourse floor with nearly a thousand dealers and government mints from around the world.

The Board resolved in a vote on June 16 to postpone the show and to consider alternate sites and/or dates for the 2020 World’s Fair of Money.

According to Jennifer Ackerman, ANA conventions director, because of Pennsylvania’s restrictions on indoor gatherings, “none of the usual World’s Fair of Money offerings would be possible at the Pittsburgh show. No exhibits, no educational programming, no Kids Zone, no club meetings, no banquet, and a significantly reduced bourse. Our team has been in nearly daily conversations with the convention center, but it’s become evident that they are unable to fulfill their contractual obligations.”

Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money Committee Chair Tom Uram noted the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists (PAN) had “anticipated a convention that would showcase the ANA and the city of Pittsburgh. But based on our analysis and review of all relevant information – the diminished show experience for attendees, health and safety issues, security, financial impact and the significant unknown outside variables – the host committee recommended that the ANA Board not hold the Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money,” he says.

Since 1891, the American Numismatic Association’s convention has only been cancelled twice; in 1918 during the flu pandemic and again in 1945 because of World War II.

“The decision to postpone the World’s Fair of Money was very emotional and extremely difficult,” says ANA President Steve Ellsworth. “The convention staff and the Pittsburgh organizing committee worked hard to make the show a reality. PAN went beyond all expectations to deliver what would have been a fantastic event, and I’m deeply disappointed that the collecting community won’t be able to experience the results of their efforts. I know we will return to Pittsburgh in the not-so-distant future. In the meantime, we will pursue opportunities to host the event in another city in the weeks ahead.” Options briefly discussed include The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the Mountain America Expo Center and Salt Palace Convention Center, both of which are located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“During these trying and socially-isolated times, we were looking forward to reconnecting with our fellow numismatists,” says ANA Executive Director Kim Kiick. “We’re disappointed we won’t be seeing everyone in Pittsburgh but are working hard to create other opportunities to connect.”

“The ANA and PAN recognize that dealers, clubs and many individuals may have already made plans and reservations in Pittsburgh for August,” says Ackerman. Hotel room reservations within the reserved block in the Omni William Penn, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Courtyard or Westin Convention Center that were made through VisitPittsburgh Housing Services automatically will be cancelled within 48 hours; do not contact the hotel directly. For those that made lodging accommodations directly with a hotel, cancellation will need to be made directly with those entities. Lodging questions should be directed to housing@visitpittsburgh.com.

Dealers will be contacted directly by the ANA convention team. “To mitigate the influx of calls and emails, dealers will be contacted by phone within the next week to discuss the option of a future credit towards an ANA show or a refund,” Ackerman says. “The ANA convention staff will be reaching out to every dealer who reserved a table at Pittsburgh. Your patience is much appreciated.”